BACKGROUND
Projects by Theme 2008-2013
Established in 2007, TGIF is UC Berkeley’s campus green fund and provides funding, via grants, for projects that improve and support campus sustainability efforts. Portions of the fund also support education & behavior change initiatives, student financial aid (via return to aid), and student internships. TGIF is funded by a $6.00 per semester student fee. Students, staff, and faculty can apply for grant funding. Grant applications are selected by a student-majority TGIF Committee. TGIF has awarded over $1.6 million in grants to 111 projects and funded over 200 student sustainability internships. Student interns have worked more than 12,000 hours on TGIF projects.
Food Justice & Sustainability 6% Transportation 7% Energy Conservation & Efficiency 12% Water Conservation & Tap Water 12%
Waste Reduction 24%
Habitat Restoration 20% Education & Behavior Change 19%
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Funded the Berkeley Student Food Collective storefront. Funded the opening of BicyCAL, UC Berkeley's first student-run bicycle cooperative. Awarded Strawberry Creek restoration enthusiasts a grant to build UC Berkeley's first Native Plant Nursery. Funded UC Berkeley's first Student Environmental Resource Center. Funded the UC system’s first Zero Waste Research Center. Funded every UC Berkeley Earth Week since 2009. TGIF’s 111 projects are located throughout main campus, and off-site at University Village, Blake Garden, UC Botanical Garden, and Cal Greek houses.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS Cal Dining Sustainability Team designed and implemented the “Chews to Reuse” reusable to-go containers for Cal Dining halls, a program that will save Cal Dining 77,947 kWh, 2,660 therms of energy, and $46,000 per year and students a combined $65,600 per year.
By 2013, Compost Alliance had operations in 18 campus buildings, which divert over 3.6 tons of organic waste from landfills every month, resulting in monthly savings of over $468 and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 525.6 kg monthly.
TGIF’s Strawberry Creek Restoration projects have engaged over 500 volunteers in the removal of at least 6 invasive plant species, the replanting of nearly 1,000 native plants along the creek, and the propagation of 2,000 plants in the Native Plant Nursery.
Three Bottle Refill Station grants funded the installation of nine refill stations and sixteen bottle refill retrofits. Over 600 Bring Your Own Mug Klean Kanteens have been distributed to UC Berkeley students, staff, and faculty.